The Art of Love

by Kayla C. Oliver

  “You want to stabilize your revenue year round,” he said, looking at my notes.

  “Exactly,” I said. “And then, at that point, continue to grow until we’ve reached our max capacity of classes.”

  “What type of marketing do you currently do?”

  “Well, the Manhattan office is definitely a good marketing tool,” I explained. “But getting people from there to the Art District is hard. Other than that, we rely on newspaper ads and flyers.”

  “Gotcha,” he replied, pulling out his laptop and moving next to me at the table.

  He opened it up and pulled up some files. They were templates of different generic marketing plans that included the minimal like what we did all the way up to prime-time commercial slots. The ideas were impressive.

  “These are where we start,” he said, pulling up the different options. “From there we customize to what you need.”

  I shook my head, looking at the options and trying to ignore the fact that I felt pulled to him like a magnet. I had to focus on the task at hand. It was what would drive my future at Zen. I had to fight to keep myself from being sucked back into his world, and it was proving harder and harder the closer he sat to me.

  Luckily the meeting was only scheduled for half an hour, so we got through the different options as quickly as possible. When we were done, he handed me a packet to go over so that I could make a better decision when I got home and went through my notes. It was slightly awkward with him staring at me and me trying to avoid those deep eyes at all costs. I was trying to stay professional and keep my emotions in control, something that I, for some reason, had a really hard time doing around him. I could see him smirking from the corner of my eye, and electricity shot through my chest.

  From the moment I met Anthony I thought he was handsome as hell, but sitting next to him at the table, I couldn’t believe how attracted to him I was. His cologne smelled amazing, and his muscles tensed beneath his perfectly pressed suit. I tried my best to ignore it, but it was more than difficult. Usually when I had already slept with a man, I could control those thoughts and urges, but thinking about when we slept together seemed to only make the situation worse. I could feel the heat between my legs, and every time his arm brushed against mine, my heart sped up.

  Visions of his solid, muscular, tan body floated through my brain, and I shifted uncomfortably in my chair, fearful that he could read what I was thinking about. I could see his plump lips moving, but I wasn’t listening to a damn thing he was saying. Instead, I was imagining those lips pressed against mine, slipping down my neck, and taking me to that place of ecstasy that he had before. I could feel the chills run down my neck, and I reached up, pretending to scratch so he wouldn’t notice.

  I wondered if he was having the same thoughts as me, picturing himself unleashing that huge cock of his and giving it to me really good. I would have loved nothing more than to climb up on the giant wooden table, push everything to the floor, and have him fuck me right there, the projector flashing our writhing bodies onto the screen. There was definitely a level of passion between us that I could barely stand, and the tension was almost visible.

  He cleared his throat, pulling me from the thought, and I sat up, realizing I was leaning my head on my hands and staring at him longingly. I was like a teenager with a crush, only this man I wanted to take to bed over and over again. He was sensual in everything he did from speaking with pursed lips to the way he rubbed the base of his pen against his cheek when he was thinking. I watched as he flipped through the computer screen, biting his bottom lip. I wanted to lean forward and suck that lip right into my mouth, showing him just how much I wanted him.

  “Eliza?”

  “Oh,” I said, shaking my head and coming back to reality. “What did you say?”

  “I said that was about all we offered,” he said, chuckling. “Take home the packet and review it. We can schedule a call to see what you come up with.”

  “Okay,” I said in a daze as he shut his laptop.

  He stood up and buttoned his jacket, walking to the other side and glancing up at me with that sexy smirk. I looked down, my cheeks blazing red. I could feel my entire face heating up, and it was kind of ridiculous. The meeting was finished, so I gathered my things and began to place them back in my bag. Part of me wanted to take my time, not wanting to be away from Anthony, while the other part of me, the sensible side, was screaming to get out of there as fast as I possibly could. I had never been that conflicted about being around a man in my life. Anthony was definitely throwing me for a loop.

  I picked up my bag and put it over my shoulder, grabbing my jacket and placing it over my arm. I stood there for a moment, trying to decide whether to bring up the card and the text, but sighed and decided it wasn’t the time for that. He stood there watching me waver back and forth in my thoughts, and I could tell he found it amusing. I walked past him, looking straight at the door, but I felt his hand grasp me by the arm. He whirled me around until I was facing him, my face slightly in shock.

  He looked deep into my eyes for several moments as I stood stiffly in his hands. Quickly, he leaned forward, pressing his lips against mine and kissing me with a passion I hadn’t felt before. Slowly my muscles began to relax, feeling comfortable in his grasp. I leaned into the kiss, a slight moan escaping my throat. He held me close, the smell of his cologne wafting into my nostrils, and the feeling of his tongue sliding through my mouth creating an electric feeling between my legs. I couldn’t move, except for where he put me with his hands.

  He stepped forward, bringing me in even closer, his mouth still firmly plastered against mine. I opened my eyes and looked at his face, his eyes shut and his body pushing into mine. I whimpered and closed my eyes again, leaning in further, wanting more from him than what he could give me in the conference room of his office building. His hands ran up and down my arms, and I could feel the bulge in his pants growing slowly bigger as it pressed against my stomach. I pressed up on my tiptoes, meeting him strongly with my mouth. He was so amazing, and there was nothing I could do to escape the haze that he put me in when I was around him.

  He slowed his kiss down and gently pulled away, kissing my nose before leaning back. His dark eyes stared deeply into mine, and the intensity between us was rushing through me. I was breathless and had no words, so I stood there, slightly shocked from the turn of events.

  “Go away with me this weekend,” he whispered, his eyes glowing with excitement and lust.

  I looked at him with a dreamy stare, as if him asking me to go away with him was a normal occurrence. Once the words sank into my brain, my eyes detached and I took in a deep breath. My heart was screaming yes, but my brain was bellowing no. Not only was I gun-shy around this man, but I had responsibilities to tend to. I knew I could get my classes covered; that was not the issue. In fact, I wasn’t really sure what the issue was beyond fear. This man was stunning, and he made me feel things I had never felt before.

  I just didn’t know what to say.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Anthony

  I hadn’t been this excited to be at home in a really long time. I had something to keep me occupied, something that I didn’t think I would actually ever be doing. My office hadn’t been used in quite a while, but there I was sitting at my computer in the dim light of the desk lamp. Eliza had sparked something in me earlier, and it was a light that just wouldn’t go out. I knew it was dangerous, but I had actually listened when I set up that dinner and swore to myself that if Eliza decided to forgive me that I would go all out and try to make things work, no matter how scared I got. This was an opportunity for me to show her how serious I was about that. I was just glad that she agreed to go away with me.

  I had needed a vacation for a long time, but I could never tear myself away from work long enough to make it happen. Eliza gave me that reason to want to put my life on hold and just spend a weekend away, relaxing. She was definitely a different kind of influence on me.

  Th
e people at the airport were pretty surprised to hear from me since I rarely used my private jet for anything. We had a company jet I used for work-related events, but it was very rare to see me actually planning a vacation. In fact, I was pretty sure the last place I took the private jet to was a family member’s wedding in Chicago. Even then I had chartered the plane to fly there in the morning and then fly me home that night, not wanting to spend the time staying at a hotel in Chicago when I could be home doing work. Even the way I had the plane set up screamed workaholic; I was having the company adjust that so when Eliza got on board she didn’t feel like she was on a work outing.

  I loved having the plane, but I wished I had more time to use it. My parents thought it was a ridiculous and lavish purchase. Though they may be right, I loved knowing I had the ability to jet off at any time, even if I never did.

  I was going to Maine for the first time since my wife died. I have a vacation home there that I hadn’t visited in years. I had fallen in love with Maine when I was just a kid, and while everyone else went on spring break to the islands, I was kicking back on a boat off the coast. It was beautiful there no matter what time of year it was, but especially in the fall when the leaves had changed colors and the skies glowed orange at sunset. I was really excited to get back there and very excited to make use of the house I purchased.

  There was something refreshing about stepping out of the plane and taking in the crisp air in Maine. I hadn’t really been to any of the major tourist areas, and I was okay with that. I found the small port towns and off-the-beaten-path homes extremely appealing.

  When I originally bought the house, I was in Maine on business. I had the day off and decided to rent a car and go for a drive through the countryside. As I drove along I spotted the house, sitting high atop the hill, surrounded by beautiful trees, with lush landscaping and a view to die for. Immediately I knew that I had to have it for my wife. I drove right up the driveway and made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Unfortunately, the weekend before I was scheduled to take her there and surprise her with the house, she died in the boating accident.

  I locked the keys and pictures of the place away in the safe and tried to not think about the perfect home on the hill. I hired a maintenance crew to keep the place in good shape, open it up on a weekly basis, and do whatever repairs needed, but I had never been sure when I would actually go back to it. Now, I was far enough removed from the circumstance that I couldn’t help but want to open it back up and enjoy the beautiful piece of property.

  I took my time talking to the housekeeping company I used, making sure they knew that I wanted everything to be perfect. I wanted the place to look and smell like a home away from home. I knew that letting a place sit like that could make it smell damp and cold, but I wanted Eliza to really feel comfortable there, maybe allowing her to open up to me like I had to her. I wanted to know everything there was to know about her. I wanted to enjoy our time, one on one, with no distractions. I knew that she was unsure about everything, especially when I pulled that stunt on the last would-be date that we scheduled, but this was my chance to show her that it wouldn’t happen again and that I wanted to be close to her.

  When I was finished with the housekeeping plan and had chartered the plane for Maine, I sat back in my chair really thinking about the day I had purchased the place and what person I was back then. Life had really taken me for a ride since then, and I knew if the man that purchased the house could look at the man I had become, he would have been disappointed. I was an extremely different person back then, but like everyone else in the world, life had hardened me. The death of my wife was only the first step in changing me from who I was that day. From there it was fear that really shaped and molded me. I was afraid of everything from commitment to family, and I distanced myself from everyone for a very long time. It wasn’t until I met Mason that I started to venture out.

  At that point, though, life had beaten me to the point where I was unrecognizable to myself and all of the people that knew Amy and me as a couple. Sure, they were kind, brought food, checked on me, but without her there by my side, eventually those visitors stopped. It was eerily silent in our house, and that was when I met Mason at a convention. He was so full of life, and I wanted to be too, but I didn’t want to be the man I used to be. That was too dangerous, and I knew how easily I could be hurt. Still, it was nice sitting there thinking about that man Amy had fallen in love with.

  On that day I was still that man, the man who was ready to face the world with love and optimism. I didn’t fear things in life because I knew it all added up to what made life so beautiful. I was extremely loving, and not just to my wife, but to everyone around us. That was why we had so many friends. We always opened our home and our lives to them. I was carefree, ready to venture into the business world, ready to see where life was going to take us, and one of the biggest differences was my lack of fear of love. There wasn’t a single part of me that was afraid of relationships or commitment. In fact, I used to think that love and relationships were the foundation of life, the thing that made life worth living. A vast difference to the current-day me who thought that love was a mistake and feared growing close to someone.

  Sitting there, though, finishing up all of the things I needed to do to be prepared for the next day and the trip over the weekend, I couldn’t help but notice the feeling that lingered when I was around Eliza. That feeling that I used to have, my carefree and fearless heart, ready to take on the world. I felt like being around Eliza was not a negative thing in any way and in fact was exactly the reason we were all here. That electricity that ran through my chest when she was close. The excitement I felt whenever I knew that we would see each other soon. Even the bad was waking the old me up inside, and I remembered a time when I went out of my way to feel the bad as much as I felt the good because it was what life was really about. I wanted to die knowing I had made the most out of every day and that my life had been full and complete.

  I smiled just thinking about how good I felt and how that feeling had been dormant for a really long time. I picked up my phone and scanned through the names, smiling bigger as I approached Eliza. I texted her to let her know the location, something she was waiting for so that she could pack accordingly. I knew that it was going to be chilly out there, but she was a bright girl and I was sure she would check the weather and bring everything she needed. If not, I had no problem thinking of ways to keep her warm with my body.

  When she texted back, I picked up the phone to read her message. She told me how excited she was for this trip and then joked with me, letting me know that I better show up this time around. I winced slightly, still feeling terrible for standing her up. There was no way I was going to miss this weekend with her; it was too important, and I had tried too hard to not screw up this second chance she was giving me. I texted her back a winky face emoji and told her I was excited as well.

  I shut off the computer and light and made my way to bed, knowing I had a full day at the office before leaving for the trip. I pulled on some pajama pants and climbed into my soft bed, turning over on my back and staring up at the ceiling. Sure, I was extremely physically attracted to Eliza and had a really hard time keeping my hands off her, but I knew that it was more than that. My feelings were progressing quickly, and they had already surpassed the physical aspects of attraction. She was so beautiful on the inside and out.

  The first time I saw her, sitting at the bar at Missy and Mason’s engagement party, I knew I needed to get to know her. She had sparkled under the lights, and her eyes glimmered in a way that was both comforting and alluring. She laughed with the spirit of a child, and her curiosity was absolutely adorable. She looked at everything and everyone like it was the first time she was seeing them. She asked questions, made jokes, and genuinely cared for everybody around her. I was more than lucky to have met her.

  Lying there looking up at the ceiling, I knew that she had to be going through some sort of anxiety, wondering if I wo
uld be there tomorrow to pick her up. Just the thought of hurting her that way again was agonizing for me, and I couldn’t imagine not being there. We were both so excited about this trip. Slowly my eyes began to close, but as they did I promised myself that no matter what I would be there at four to pick her up and I would let go of everything that was plaguing me, allowing myself to really enjoy the weekend, and enjoy just being there with Eliza.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Eliza

  I had barely slept a wink the night before, too excited about the fact that I had let go and allowed myself the ability to be happy. When Anthony had asked me to go away with him for the weekend I immediately had reservations, but there was no way I could say no to that. Then, when he texted me that we were going to Maine, I was extremely excited. I looked up the weather right away and pulled out all my cool-weather clothes. I didn’t know what he had planned for while we were there, but I wanted to make sure that I was packed and ready for anything. He had a tendency to be extravagant, and I didn’t want to be caught without a dress to wear, or a warm sweater, or anything that may be out of my normal realm of events.

  However, as I packed my bags, I couldn’t help but think about the last time he was supposed to pick me up. There was a feeling in my chest as I sat in my living room, watching the time tick by. The feeling was so deep and so harsh that I had immediately closed myself off. I packed for the trip, trying to push the thought out of mind and just allow myself to be excited. By a quarter to four, I was completely done and sitting in the living room nervously waiting for him.